It can be tough to change an unfortunate birth name — let alone get anyone to stop calling you by it — but your Twitter username is not the one bestowed upon you by your parents. Thankfully. But it’s still pretty important and says a lot about you or your brand. It’s part of your online identity and it can often say more in 15-or-less characters than you can in a generous 140.
Though often used interchangeably, your Twitter username and real name are not the same thing. Your username is essentially your unique Twitter handle, the name that appears in your in profile URL and allows you to log in, reply to tweets, and direct message others (hint: it’s the name that following the “@” sign). Your real name on the other hand, is the personal one that appears above your username on your profile page or to the left of your username in your Twitter feed. Although not always the case, it can help clarify an ambiguous username that may not directly identify you, your brand or business (i.e. @deadleaves).
So why change your username or real name? Well sometimes rebranding yourself or adding a level of professionalism isn’t such a bad thing. Changing your username will also leave your existing followers, direct messages, and replies completely intact. Just make sure to let your followers know so they can interact with your new name instead of scouting for your old one.
Here’s our quick-hit guide on how to change your Twitter name. Try to keep it simple, short and reflective of you for the sake of your followers — most of us don’t like riddled usernames.
Step 1: Log in to your Twitter account. Launch your favorite browser and sign in to Twitter as your normally, entering your username or email and providing your password before navigating to the homepage.
Step 2: Access the Account Settings. Click the gray gear icon in the upper-right corner and select Settings near the bottom of the resulting drop-down menu. The Account Settings tab should open by default, but simply click the Account option on the left-hand side to bring up the main interface if it doesn’t.
Step 3: Change your username. Type in your desired username (15 characters or less) in the text field to the right of Username. A message will appear prompting you choose another username if your first choice is unavailable. Note that your Twitter username can only contain alphanumerical characters and must omit both the words “Twitter” and “Admin” unless they are official Twitter accounts.
However, consider adding an underscore (“_”) before or after your username to create a more unique handle. For example, “@BrandonWidder” may be taken, but “@_BrandonWidder” is not. You can also always refer to the Twitter Help Center for more details regarding your username and the various restrictions surrounding it. When finished, click the blue Save changes button at the bottom of the page to save your new username.
Step 1: Log in to your Twitter account. Launch your favorite browser and sign in to Twitter as your normally, entering your username or email and providing your password before navigating to the homepage.
Step 2: Access the Profile Settings. Click the gray gear icon in the upper-right corner, select Settings near the bottom of the resulting drop-down menu and click the Profile tab on the left-hand side of the page.
Step 3: Choose your Twitter name. Type in your desired username (20 characters or less) in the text field to the right of Name. When finished, click the blue Save changes button at the bottom of the page to save your new username.
What do you think of our breakneck guide to changing your Twitter name? Having trouble? Let us know in the comments below.
Brandon Widder is a multimedia journalist and a staff writer for Digital Trends where he covers technology news, how-to guides, best-of pieces and more. In his free time, he moonlights as a freelance music writer for the Portland alt-weekly, Willamette Week, and other publications in the Pacific Northwest. He currently is currently based out of Portland, OR.
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